Crab Cakes

[bilowi]

I tried to make crab cakes last night and used ground pork rinds as a sub for bread crumbs and the cakes came out tasting soooo salty. Any advice.

[not2late]

Re: Crab Cakes

I live in Maryland. If you want crab cakes the way locals make it for their families, you don't add fillers like bread crumbs, cracker crumbs, onion, celery, etc. You add filler if you need to stretch the crab meat to feed more people.

Anyhow, the best crab cakes are made with crab, alittle mayo or egg to bind it together, and maybe a sprinkling of Old Bay seasoning. Nothing else, because you want a crab cake to be a crab cake, not a crab-flavored bread cake

Some people will use only lump meat, some will use claw meat, some will use backfin. Whatever. Use the crab meat you have. Fresh is better than canned in terms of flavor. But canned can be used if you have no other choice.


1 pound crab meat, picked over to remove any pieces of shell.
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 egg

Combine the mayo and egg. Fold in the crabmeat. Form into patties. The mixture will be soft and might not hold together well. Refrigerate at least 1 hour for the patties to firm up. Pan fry. Be sure to let the bottom brown and crust before turning it over. Alternatively, you can broil the cakes, until golden brown and heated through. Sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning. Serve.

And if you really want to be fuss-free. You can do what an auntie of mine did: put the crab mixture in a casserole dish. Dot with butter. And bake until golden brown and heated through. She used to put chopped red sweet pepper in the mixture too.

[bilowi]

Re: Crab Cakes

Wow, thanks a lot. I just never thought of making it without crumbs of some kind. I'll try this way next time. I love crab so much and those cakes last night were just gross. The casserole dish idea sounds great too.

[not2late]

Re: Crab Cakes

There are a few places that have great crab cakes in Maryland---great as in locals go there to eat them as well as tourists. Typically these places don't use filler or only enough filler to hold the cakes together. Because the more filler you add, the less you can taste the crab.

Just be sure to refrigerate these filler-less cakes. If you don't they will definitely fall apart. My auntie's crab casserole can be mixed together and tossed into the oven immediately---which is why she never stressed out about making it, lol.

[not2late]

Re: Crab Cakes

Oh yeah, if you really want celery, onion, etc. with your crab cakes. Serve them on the side as a salad lol

[bilowi]

Re: Crab Cakes

Thank you so much for all of your help. I can't wait to try again.